New National Lottery format to create hundreds more millionaires

The National Lottery’s flagship Lotto game has introduced a significant new format, offering players two distinct opportunities to win with every £2 line purchased. The first draw under these revised rules is set to take place this Wednesday.

Under the updated system, the twice-weekly Lotto draws, held on Wednesday and Saturday evenings at 8pm, will now feature a two-round structure. This involves two separate machines drawing two sets of six main numbers and a bonus ball.

Crucially, players can secure a win in either round, or both, all from a single Lotto line, without needing to alter their selection of six numbers from 59 balls.

Jackpots will continue to commence at £2 million, with the potential to roll over up to five times before a mandatory must-be-won draw on the sixth. Players will still be rewarded for matching two or more main numbers within a single round.

The game retains two pathways to becoming a millionaire: by matching all six main numbers for a jackpot prize of at least £1 million, or by matching five main numbers plus the bonus ball for a fixed £1 million. While the main jackpot will be distributed across both rounds, all other prize tiers will maintain their fixed cash values, paid per round. The Lotto HotPicks add-on game will also adopt the new two-round format, priced at £1.

Operator Allwyn anticipates a substantial increase in the number of Lotto millionaires, projecting a rise from approximately 140 to around 345 annually. The odds of winning any prize are also expected to improve significantly, from 1-in-9.3 to 1-in-4.9.

The first retail ticket for the new format was purchased in Great Yarmouth at 5: 01am on Sunday for next Saturday’s draw, Allwyn confirmed. Meanwhile, an online player in Aylesbury made the first digital purchase, utilising an advanced play option for multiple future draws.

Andy Carter, senior winners’ advisor at Allwyn, expressed enthusiasm for the changes. He stated: “This is a huge moment for players as we enter a new era for the nation’s millionaire maker, Lotto. From now on, every ticket gives you two chances to win for the same £2 price.

We’re talking more winners, more excitement and hundreds more millionaires made every year. It really could be you – not once, but twice.”

Chris and Geraldine Bradley, who secured a £3.5 million win in 2006 and feature in the National Lottery’s “It Could Be You” campaign, also welcomed the update. They commented: “We know first-hand just how life-changing a Lotto win can be.

That’s why this new format is so exciting – giving players two chances to win from a single ticket means more opportunities for that same incredible moment. It’s fantastic to see even more people getting the chance to become millionaires. We won with our family syndicate, and there is nothing like the feeling of becoming a big winner.”